Tentatio (Trial)

Lastly, we come to part three of Luther's instruction to study theology: Third, there is the tentatio, the trial. This is the touchstone. It teaches you not only to know and understand, but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how lovely, how mighty, how comforting God's Word is: it is wisdom supreme. This is why you observe that, in the psalm indicated, David so often complains of all sorts of enemies...For as soon as God's Word becomes known through you, the devil will afflict you, will make a real [theologian] of you (from What Luther Says: An Anthology compiled by Ewald M. Plass).

Psalm 119

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Luther on Oratio, Meditatio, Tentatio

As we begin I want to share a quote by Martin Luther which is the basis for this blog. I want you to know how to study theology in the right way. I have practiced this method myself ... Here you will find three rules. They are frequently proposed throughout Psalm [119] and run thus: Oratio, meditatio, tentatio (Prayer, meditation, trial). (Taken from What Luther Says: An Anthology, Vol. 3, p. 1359 and 1360.) Much of our lives are caught up with these three things, or should be, prayer, meditation, trial. Let us hold fast to the truth of Scripture and to what our spritual forefathers have revealed to us in written word about these three critical areas of life. As this blog progresses we'll look at what they have to say about prayer, meditation and trials.